SAVING CENTSABLY: Topping-off my savings at Jiffy Lube

Recently I had my oil changed at a Jiffy Lube location. I have friends who change their own oil using discounts, rebates and special offers from stores such as AutoZone, Advanced Auto or O'Reilly Auto Parts. I have other friends whose cars are so new they use the maintenance offer that came with the purchase of their vehicle.

I would say our family falls in the middle. We don't do our own oil changes, but our vehicles certainly aren't new enough to have automatic maintenance programs.

I appreciated the Jiffy Lube experience. As promised, they were very quick and efficient. I had all four of my children with me, and we were there in the Jiffy Lube waiting area for just a few minutes -- a very reasonable amount of time.

Of course, there were "up-sell" offers while I was there. "Would I like my windshield wipers changed?" "This air filter is really clogged; would you like to change it?" Of course I always say "no" to those two items because these are less expensive for my husband to purchase at Wal-Mart or an auto parts store. He can install them quickly and save us some money.

However, Jiffy Lube really scored some points with me during this visit. I have allergies, and I know from visits with the doctor that the cabin air filter should be changed in our vehicles from time to time.

Honestly, I have had my oil changed so many times since buying this vehicle three years ago. Do you know that not one single oil change location ever asked if I wanted the cabin air filter changed? I had begun to assume there really wasn't one in my Honda Odyssey. Of course I never looked it up online to make sure -- I just assumed.

Imagine my shock (and repulsion) when the Jiffy Lube associate walked into the waiting area with an awfully dirty cabin air filter! He explained -- and I saw the numbers -- that this was the original cabin air filter. Never in the life of my Honda Odyssey (a 2007 model) had anyone changed the cabin air filter!

I was impressed that this Jiffy Lube location caught this true health hazard in my vehicle. Of course I agreed to pay to have it replaced, and was happy to know I'd be breathing clean air on the way home.

As I checked out with that associate, he offered me a $10 coupon, which you know I appreciated, and then he explained the top-off procedures that Jiffy Lube has. I didn't know about this offer, so I called one of the Middle Georgia Jiffy Lube locations to make sure they have the same guarantee.

Essentially, if a customer purchases an oil change at a Jiffy Lube location, they can return during the 3,000 mile or three-month period following the oil change, and Jiffy Lube will top off the oil and check all the fluids just as they do during the actual oil change procedure.

Because I have explained to you guys that my oil change indicator electronically monitors my oil life, I do not change it every 3,000 miles. Even so, I appreciate that I can return to the Jiffy Lube, get a top off, and then feel very confident in following the advice of my oil change monitor.

Have you use Jiffy Lube recently? Did you know about their top-off guarantee?

Contact writer Rachael Mercer at savingcentsably@gmail.com.

This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 4:24 PM with the headline "SAVING CENTSABLY: Topping-off my savings at Jiffy Lube ."